Priming oiler for centrifugal force feed lubrication



Oct. 26, 1943. RF. oNsRUD 2,332,747

PRIMING OILER FOR CENTRIFUGAL FORCE FEED LUBRICATION Filed Dec. le, 1942 am- @QM l Patented Got. 26, 1943 -1 l* t* l 332.gif?

PRIMI'NG oILEn Foa CENTRIFUGAL ronca FEED LUenIcAfmoN u vRudolph Onsrud, Clnicago,` Ill., assignor toOnsrud Machine Works Inc., Chicago; Ill., a Ycorporation of Illinois application December 16, 1942, serial No. 469,158

. jsclaims. 1gol;30s- 7137) This invention relates to improvements `in lubricating systems and'particularly to lubrication systems for high speed spindles. f

Themain 'objects of this invention are to provide a new and novel'lubricating system for high speed spindles; to provide a device of this character wherein an even flow of a iine mist of lubrisuitable shoulders 3 Vand 9 which are formed in therouter head 2. i-The'outer. ends I of the spindle are 'smallerin diameter thanthe body thereof and therefore a shoulder or seat Ilk is also .provided against whichthe upper portion of the bearing housing@ is seated. The retainer elecant is `supplied to the bearings of a high speedv `spindle at al1 times; to provide a device oi this character wherein an -.even flow of lubricant is delivered in minute quantities to the bearingsof a high speeds'pindle during the operation of the spindle; to provide a device of this lcharacter which will prevent an over supplyof lubricant from being delivered to bearings of'a high speedH1 spindle at any time during operation of thespindle Vor while the spindle is at rest; to provide .a device` of this character which isautomatic in operation and requires no manual .control loradjustment; to provide a deviceof this vcharacter wherein lubricant is supplied to the bearings of a high speed 'spindle immediately upon starting of the spindle;\. to `4provide adevice of' this Character wherein the centrifugal force developed by spindle rotation is used as the powerto feed the lubricant to the bearings; and to provide' in a device of this character, means to prevent ilow of lubricant from the reservoir' to the bearings of a high speed spindle when-the spindle is at rest and yet allow for. passage of thelubricant when the spindle isin operation.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the drawing wherein: Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view partly broken away through the lower endof a spindle which has the device of my invention incorporated therein. v'

Fig. 2 is an enlarged `detail view, illustrating my invention. v Fig. 3 is a perspective view and plugs.

in section,

Referring in detail to the drawing, I have illustratedmy invention as being incorporated in 'a high speed spindle l which is journaled in; a router head 2. provide an oil reservoir 3, and is: also provided with four sets of bearings 4 and 5;,two-'sets being located adjacent the lower end ofthespindle i as shown inFigure 1 of the drawingand two'y sets of which are located adjacent the upper end f" of the spindle but which are not illustrated hereofthe oil feed duct r The spindle is bored axiallyA to f in as they are identical with, and perform the same function as, the lower sets of bearings.` The bearings 4 and 5 and their.respective/retainerst and l are held in position on the` spindle by "ment i2 is` adapted to secure the bearings il and 5 in position on the spindle.I

In higna. P. M. spindles great uifeiiityfhelfs .been experienced in properly lubricating `the i' bearings# and 5 because of the presence of centrifugal force which tends tothrow the lubricant out of the rotatingxparts ofithe bearing. -Ifthe lubricant which is `thrown out is not quickly replaced the bearings will burn out rapidly. In highuR'.-

Mispindles such burnouts can and usually do occur within a minute or, even less time. Another problem. which hasarisen is that off adjustment of the feed of lubricant to the bearing to be certain thatthe lubricant .which hasbeendischarged from the bearing chamber, due to the centrifugal force, has been `replaced therein. `An excessive supply. 'of lubricantoffers resistance to bearingrotationthereby generating `heat anddecreasing the R. P. M.. I have `also found thatV after abearing'has remained idle rfor several hours vor'ia 'dayfor more,V substantially all theoil previously supplied to the bearing has i been `lo'st through evaporation. It is absolutely essentialthat oil be immediately supplied to the bearings before the spindle is' set into rapid rotation;` otherwise fthe bearing will burn out rapidly.

Toovercome thes'eiproblemsl provide a new andimproved 'lubrication duct i3, which is cylindricalin shape. The ductyl is bored axially to form an oil chamber i'll into which a-wick 'l5 is placed. The wick has its end bent back uponitseli` in hookedgform to cover the mouth of the passageway i5 through which the-lubricant in.`

reservoir 3 and chamber lll is discharged to the bearings. frneduct sa is also provided with e. perforation il' which extends vertically through the duct at apointf adjacent the inner end .wall of'charnberllt, but not therethrough; The

perforation does however extend through the pas'- `sageway l5 as clearly shown. in Figure 2. A porf'ousplugflil, Vof metal, wood bone or the like is seated inthe perforation l1.V Lubricant in reser- Voir 3 passes Jthrough4 the plug; i3 into the passageway i6 when `the spindle is in operation, primarilyv because of the centrifugal pressures created in the reservoir Si.' the samematerial `as plug l1 is inserted in the mouth ofthe -oil reservoir I4 and-is securelyanchored therein by any suitable means such as by Solder 2B or the like.

I have'found it expedient to employ one feed duct I3 for eachbearing used in a high R. P. M. spindle; hence I show an oil duct I3 for the bearings 4 and an oil duct I3 for bearings 5, in

the drawing.

The ducts I3 vand I3 are arranged to span the oil reservoir 3 in a position which is transverse to the axis of the spindle I The kducts are seated in bores and sockets 2|, 2| andV 22, 22'

respectively, located in the walls of the spindle -I'. Each bore and socket is positioned in axial alignment. The discharge ends of the ducts I3 .and

I3 being positioned in the bores 2|y and 22,-respectively while the other ends containing the chambers I4 and Mseat in sockets 2I and 22 respectively.

It win be notes that the inner ends of the p sockets 2| and 22' are conical in shape as at 23 and 24 respectively to provide oil pockets. These pockets are 'intentionally formed by .the pointed endo'f a drill informing' the bores and sockets.

YAlso the walls "oftheioil chamber g'fdirec'tly-above the pockets 23 and .2d arecut'awaya'sat `25 'and 28 respectively to form'. acommunic'ation between the oil .pockets r2'3 and 24 and the `oil reservoir 3 respectively. Lubricant from the chambers v3l and 23 must pass ythe chamber I4. n 'The upper ends vfoi the ducts I3 fand"I3"-fare l 'positioned inthe spindle in suchra'manner that therethrough 'before entering 'they-arel in r's'ubstantial alignment with the upper surfaces of the ball bearing retainers 6 and 'I respectively. l Y

I have found it expedient 'to place lubricant 'distributing'washers and spacers 21 and'ZB betweenv the shoulder II and the upper.' face of the 'bearing retainer 6 and between thewbearing re-Y tainers Sand I respectively. The perimeter of each 'spacer vi'sbentdownwardly to form aai-lange r`todirect 'the lubricant to 'the bearings 'as will be hereinafter explained.'

It will be apparent thatV upon rotation of the spindle the lubricant in the reservoir 3fwill, be;- I

'causeof the centrifugal `forces created therein, 'tend to cling to Athewalls of the reservoir. I have, therefore, provided that Athe porous plug I8 of the feed duct I3 shall have at least a por-f tion thereof 'exposed 'to Ythe oil ,reservoir soV that the lubricant willI be forced through the porous plug 3 `from'eitlrier or V,both ends'thereof and flow into thefchannel fI 6 a'n'cl vbefdischa-rged/therefrom .into the vertical channel or groove 29 located-in thedischargeend O'ftheoil feed duct, where, due

to rotation and the centrifugal forces` created rof the oildistribution washer and spacer21, outwardly to the peri-meter thereof. Becausebof the downwardly turned flange thereon, the lubricant will be Adireeted to the-face of the bearing.

Since the bearing retainers Iiv and 1 and the spacers 271 Aare not vintegrally `secured to Vthe spindlev or together, thev lubricant will readily one method offconstructiomf: "r Frornthe` foregoingi't' will 'be' apparent that lsince the 'lubricant from the vfreservoir` is rIed only a predetermined amount of `lubricant t vlll "ffv pass therethrough and hence, control of the lubri" cant reachingth'e bearing is readily had.

- 'In high speedr spindles of this 'character the spindle is often stopped and started by the"oper,}f ator so as to Viewthe work and, hence, it is nec; essary to insure that a few drops of lubricant are always available vfor lubricating hthe bearing upon starting or the spindle. vItis nnmateria1 whether, ,Y ff or not the spindle is used in a Vertical position` v. 'or in a horizontal position because the wick'l I5 will alwaysi'tend Vto become saturatedwith the lubricant in the chamber I4. immediate rotation of the spindle the oil in the Wick will-[tendto vdeposit several drops inthe passageway 'll, 'upon initial 'Starting' of lthe spindle and be deposited on the bearingswithin seconds after the spindle begins to rotate.

It will Abe noted from the drawingl that -I have found `it expedient to dispose the oil feed ducts vI3 and. 't3'. inopposite' positions'. This is vnot A- absolutelyv necessary `or :essential "but is merely to the-discharge passageway 'I6 in minuteA quan#v tities vbecause-'of :the vporousxplugs -'I 8 and "I t)v tend"v 'to brealr-upthe'oiljandhencefonly'small'quane, 1 y Y tities of `*lubricant 'are `delivered `to` the `bearings I and therefore the objections,y heretoforei dis'-y f cussed,.to`ha.ve been 'foundin the presentmeth.- ods -'of vlubricationfor'.high speed spindles'have 'y been overcome. Also, and most important, 'is the factz-th'at momentarily uponfrotation of 'the spindle a fewrdrop's yof Oil `are"delivered"tok the bearinggso that the 'chances Yof the bearing be- I entirely'eliniinatediasllongas'theireservoir' (ioni- .V

tainssome-lubricant.- f yAlthough but fone specic'xembodiment rofithis j inventingjis fheienyshow-'n Vand described,- `it is l' t'o be understood' that'soine 'of the `details set bore in the other end `forming' a 'discharge' pas"- s'age\`1vay,'and said 'bores'com'municating 'witheach other, a porous plug' securely.' anchored Virl 'the' 'opensendi'of said chamber, afsecohd porous` plug r`thereby,the oil will flow upwardly through the :channel 29 and along theuppe r and lowerfaces dles, anoilreservoir Yinsaid` spindles, an oil feed duct having alarge axial borewin 'onefendfformr ing an 'oil chamber and a relatively snaller axial lforth may belaltere'clror fomittedwithout depart i. ing'frorn the spirit lof the invention as "defined E*by the following' claims.

`Ifclaimi .i

1. A-iubricanngsystem-.forhignspeedfspinfj dles, fa'n oil. 'reservoir in said spindles, an `oi'l'eed duct having ya large axialbore in one endfforn; ing an' oil chainber 'andfa-,relatively'smaller axial .positioned 'infsaid 'du'ct transversely to the yaxis -of said "ductv and extending through said .passageway at a point substantially adjacent the inner end of the chamber, the'outer ends o'f said duct being seated in the wallsfof said'spindle-'and lying l in a plane' transverse to the' axis of said spindle.

2. A lubricating system for high speedspitfbore in the otherf'en'd forming a discharge passageway, vand said bores: communicating with each other; f a porous plug f securelyv 'anchored in rthefopenfend' of said chmbeigia wick 'in `said the walls of fsaid spindleand lying ina chamber, ',a'second porous plug .positioned .in said duct transversely tothe 'axisof saidy duct and ex*- -tending through said passagewayat vapointsub- 'i stantiallyi adjacent the inner end of 'the chamber, the 'outer "ends vof said lduct beingy seated in `plane transverse to vvthe'axiso'ff'said spindle.

Therefore upon v I' 3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second porous plug is located in the duct so that the endis exposed to the oil reservoir in the chamber.

4. A high speed spindle having an axial bore extending substantially the entire length of the spindle to provide an oil reservoir for lubricating the bearings thereof, in combination with a feed duct comprising an elongated cylinder `disposed within said spindle and lying transversely to the axis of said spindle to span said oil reservoir, a long axial bore in one end of said duct to form an oil chamber, a wick in said chamber, a porous plug securely anchored in the mouth of said chamber, kthe other end of said duct having a discharge passageway located therein and cornmunicating ywith said chamber,- a second porous" plugin said duct extending ina plane transverse to the axis of said duct and terminating in said passageway.

5. The device means are provided to direct the oil from the passage directly to the face of the spindle bearings. l

6. A high speedspindle having an axial bore extending substantially the entire length of the spindle to provide an oil reservoir for lubricating the bearings thereof, in combination with a feed duct comprising an elongated 4`cylinder disposed within said spindle' and lying transversely to the axis of said spindleto `span said oil reservoir,` a

large axial bore in one end of said duct to form f o set forth in `claim 4 wherein '2 an oil chamber, a wick in said chamber, a porous plug securely anchored in the mouth of said chamber, the other end of said ducthaving a Vdischarge passageway located therein and communicating with said chamber, a second porous plug in said duct, extending in a plane transverse to the axis of said duct and terminating in said passageway, the exterior ends of said plug being bore in one end'thereof to form an oil reservoir and a smaller axial bore in the other end thereof communicating with the larger bore to form a dischargepassageway, a porous plug to close the open end of the larger bore and a second porous plug in said duct extending transversely to the axis of said duct and terminating in the smaller axial bore.

8. The device set forth in claim 7 Wherein'the second porous plug extends through said duct and discharge passageway.

9. In a centrifugal force feed lubrication system for high speed spindles, the combination of a spindle having an oil reservoir located in the axis of the spindle, bearings for said spindle, and a vporous plug anchored in opposite walls of said spindle and lying in a plane transverse to the axis of said spindle and which plug has direct communication with said bearings, whereby said plug will supply minute quantities of oil to said bearings from said reservoir immediately upon rotation only of said spindle.

- RUDOLPH F. ONSRUD. 

